The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
GOODLUCK wENTWITH THEM
CLERK BRYhNs DECLARATION WAS
THE MAKING OF HIM.

Even More Lucky was Clerk Van, who Re-
came Miiiennire In = Comparative
!, Uurry-Fortune shared with Friends.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.-One morning In tho
early part Of 1870 Mr.. Samuel M. Bryan. o
clerk In the Post Office Department, on going
to his office found himself Incompetent to dis
charge his customary duties. He had been
behsaded. and the instrument OF decapitntion,
yellow envelope lay on his desk Mr.. Bryan
did not remain long In ignorance OF the cause
of his removal. In tho excess OF his friendship
q fellow clerk intimated that he Understood
from the chief clerk that the Postmaster-Gen-
eral had muttered beneath his breath few
days before the word "shiftless" whom Mr..
Bryan's name was mentioned In connection
with some offlcial work. The ex-clerk
thanked his ELUSIVE friend. made few
philosophical observations concerning the
mutability Of departmental life, and sat down
to tako stock. He had an abundance OF cloth
Ing, $50 In money. and q great idea That
| morning, when no had risen from bed, this
great idoa was yet In O chaotic state, but so
much does the prospect OF poverty sharpen
and clarity tho intellect OF every one whose
brain has boon muddled BY years OF depart
ment work that when Mr.. Bryan went to bed
the same night the idea was perfected. and his
valise was hacked for long journey.
A few days later Mr.. Bryan was in Omaha,
Neb., on route for San Francisco. Very few OF
his $50 remained, and he was trying to solve
tho problem OF how to reach his destination
| without walking. when In some way or tho
other he made the snap acquaintance of Mr..
Theodore N. VAIL a railway postal clerk be-
tween Omaha and Ogden. Over a glass Of
something the two men found that perfect
sympathy existed between them and In q
short time the postal clerk had become ao-
ouainted with the idea which had impelled
tho ex-department clerk to leave WASH
ington. He was astounded at It's magnitude.
charmed with its audacty. and convinced oiits
ultimate success. He offered Bryan the liberty
OF his car to Ogdon, which offer was accepted
gratefully. and soon the deadhead was lying
on pile OF mail bags sleeping serenely ana
sweetly. undisturbed by visions OF the bulls
eye lantern OF the conductor, In the full conf
dence reposed by him In his newly found
friend. 1t was modern case Of Damon and
Pythias on first sight. At Ogden Mr.. Coolidge.
another postal clerk. was taken into conf
dence, and lie agreed to continue the dead
heading courtesy to San Francisco, the end Of
his run. Mr.. Bryan accepted his luck as q
good omen, and left Vail with many express
sions Of his obligations.
San Francisco was reached in due time:
H. Hsri a Szsn M Ss'q Of
wss esrk IN the Pos9 5ce
boa. bound ior Japan. On his way across the !,
Pacific the ADVENTUROUS ex;cerk had ample
that when he reached Toxic which was the
objective point Of his long trip he lost no time
N the chief city Of Japan, which, II all went
to come, Mr.. Bryan settled himself for a hard
! he became ac1uainted with one OF tho high no.
bility, who bore confidential relations at court
head Of this e
Expressed it. Ho told him his object IN COM
Ing to Japan, which was to perfect and put, IN
the pnsd sts{ss and
pilord Of Japan, procure the appointment as
h # Of hs eSs to be H% dss
| upon the Influence and honor attached to that
Office In his 6 aes frsnd
tgEs history C Of Japan. The subject Of TIE
postal CLERKS had besn. and after = little psr.
suasion induced the Goyernmssn ni to aIloM ths
m3ted to the q Em nis wien its
sqS "a ss A. 1T
the United States, and to SECURE tho services
gietlon Of the system which no had devised.
The department was to consist OF ok natives ,e
es 9E The ers o os s u ar h 81 ITS
were to be, shorter than those of the natives,
and when the term Of an alien expired native
ton in ONCE Which would eventually result in
the department, consisting Of natives alone:
salary Salary Of $1,000 a year. and entitled as tho
representative Of a friendly power to every
courtesy known n Diplomatic srclss this eS
envoy Of the Japanese Government, to discuss
nice and delicate points Of international lay lay
hirA out Of the department a few short months
before for alleged shirtlessness That he sue
IN sSd an s Is
much diplomacy and is as comprehensive and
tho Gaited States csc. eve SH figured.
In this treaty the doctrine OF reciprocity is
By ssasd as ~: Bryan
W. friends. the postal clerks yho ~ ma 4, given
sapyiss tho place q Assistant general r sspsT;
served promotlon; Mr.. Brysa sreeted his
friend wsTm tbs sD.nsS ,Gn 81 in the
idea which they had talked over. together
In postal car not long before while While r9 Vaii
sured him that h. would make him rich man
ss xr
not, been for his wiie's dislike to going SO far
was forced 10 decline: NJ: BrysIn, thersgpon
his way back to Japan picked up that gentle
man, who was still serving as postal clerk be-
tween Ogden and San Francisco, and took him
with him. They both remained in japan for
ten years or moro. and made comfortable
fortunes.
In the mean time Mr.. Vail was not vcGetat-
tendent, and in the course Of ofiicial business
accompanied a. Congressional investigating
committee, headed BY Gardner Hubbard. to
the Pacific coast to look into some railroad
matters there. It was Just at this period I} that
ganized and before the public had much faith
In that wonderful instr1msnt p gardner Hub
dent Of the company. and saw the necessity Of
| securing the services OF an energetic and ag-
gressve man to push the matter H for7
ward. While In company with Mr.. Val!
that this, was the man no needed;
| He offered him the place OF Vice-President Of
tho company with the privilege OF buying
| stock at twenty-five or thirty cents on the dol;
lar, Mr.. Vail had 2 nose for good thing; and m
longs only to daring spectators took at the
| flood the tide which was to lead him on to for
He hnrrnwa6 right and left